Beyond the Box Score has looked at where the 2001 M's stack up against history. It's pretty interesting and worth taking a look. There are a lot of numbers, but the most important one is that the 2001 Mariners are statistically the 13th best team of all-time.
I was lucky enough to be in Seattle for the summer of 2001, and it was really an amazing time. You expected them to win every night. Even when they were losing, you knew they were going to pull it out. That regular season rivals the 1995 run.
But that postseason was rough. I was at Game 3 of the ALDS against the Indians. 17 to 2. We left in the the 6th inning. But, the M's did pull that series out.
Then of course there was Game 4 of the ALCS against the Yankees. That was the worst one. It was the weirdest game too. Paul Abbout threw 5 innings of no-hit ball, but walked eight guys. There was no scoring until the 8th when Boone knocked one out. I thought for sure we had it then as the strength of that team was the bullpen. But then came Rhodes vs. Bernie Williams and Sasaki vs. Alfonso Soriano. That one hurt. Could have tied the series at 2-2, and Lou's guarantee of the series moving back to Seattle would have been fufilled.
OK sorry for that. Thank you Retrosheet for the box scores.
But we keep the faith. I thought the Red Sox were never going to win it after the Aaron Boone debacle in 2003, but their 2004 run has given hope to all of us fans who are desperately waiting for a championship.
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i wasn't there for the summer of 2001, and maybe it was because i was surrounded by yankees fans that were telling me that the m's were going to choke in the playoffs, but somehow i knew that they weren't going to go to win the world series going into the playoffs. 1995 had the same feeling going into the playoffs, but nobody cared because it was so exciting all season. there wasnt the same excitement coming down the homestretch in 2001, they were chasing ghosts, not the mark langston angels. in 95 winning was still new to us all, but by 2001 winning lots of games wasn't a novelty, so once it became clear that this team was going to beat lots and lots of teams, the real expectation soon became advancing in the playoffs or winning a world series. i dont know, maybe it was different being there, or maybe i'm just bitter in retrospect.
ReplyDeleteI think the sentiment throughout 2001 was that it wasn't going to mean anything if the M's didn't win the World Series. But it was still an exciting thing-the Seattle Mariners, the team that had lost the 2 best players in baseball the previous two years, were on pace to become the winningest team in baseball history. This is a team with such little history that to accomplish that was dumbfounding. They just kept winning and winning, it was insane. The All-Star game being in Seattle added to it as well. That was a season when I felt like Seattle really was becoming a baseball town.
ReplyDeleteWhen I got back to Penn State in Septemeber, the joy was definitely reduced as all the East Coasters were telling me the same things Chris was hearing all season. I agree that the 1995 novelty had worn off, but that's why years like 1997 and 2000 weren't that special. It was the historic thing that made that year special.
But I think that year was part of the growing process for this franchise. There were definitely lessons learned. My hope is that our loyalty and patience will pay off.
My candle burns at both ends;
ReplyDeleteIt will not last the night;
But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends –
It gives a lovely light!
Edna St. Vincent Millay, A Few Figs form Thistles, 1920.
Ok then...
ReplyDeletehttp://bremertonians.blogspot.com/2003/10/two-years-ago-today.html
ReplyDeleteThat post from 2003 summed up my feelings on the 2001 season.
Let's just hope that the Mariners won't have a 10-year celebration for the 2001 team.
Wow this is a depressing post. I may have to repost the picture of Griff to lift the spirits.
ReplyDelete.geez, summer of '01 was terrific---Who Let The Dogs Out-----two outs..so what.....winning virtually every night...
ReplyDeletebaseball is a Long Season (by the way if you haven't read Jim Brosnan's book of that title, I highly recommend it -early classic like in the early 1960's) and you have to enjoy the ride as well as the destination----yes,2001 postseason was a downer but takes nothing away from the championship season (the formal name for the regular season whne a League Champion meant only one team made it to the World Series )..baseball is memories and nostalgia moreso than other sports .. while the '95 team tribute may seem a little lame,its important to Seattle baseball fans and its history--when Maah ! and I wore our "Refuse To Lose" shirts to tha t game, I think we felt pride in that team despite theri not making it to the World Series --but we are grown up now in Seattle and need more... ,much ,much more .......
yes,repost the Griffey pix